CABANATUAN CITY – The Commission on Elections Second Division on Wednesday ordered the Department of Interior and Local Government in Central Luzon to immediately implement its Jan. 12 order to reinstate Mayor Sylvia Austria of Jaen town.
In a five-page order dated Feb. 3 and signed by presiding Commissioner Socorro Inting, the Comelec also directed DILG Region 3 director Julie Daquioag to “report to the Commission (Second Division) the implementation of the same within three days therefrom.”
The order stemmed from the Manifestation with Urgent Motion for Implementation filed by Austria on Jan. 28 in connection with the pending implementation of the Comelec’s status quo ante order (SQAO) which also stopped the implementation of the Regional Trial Court‘s judgment that ruled Mayor Antonio Esquivel as having won the May 2019 mayoralty race.
Named respondents in Austria’s petition were RTC Branch 87 presided by designated Judge Angelo Perez and sitting Mayor Antonio Prospero Esquivel.
Austria noted that the temporary restraining order/ SQAO issued by Comelec on Jan. 12 has not been implemented as Esquivel “continues to hold the position of mayor of the Municipality of Jaen in violation of the mandatory directive of this Honorable Commission.”
Esquivel remains discharging the functions of mayor at the town hall as of press time.
Austria was proclaimed winner by the municipal board of canvassers-Comelec in May 2019 elections but the RTC 87 ruling on the protest lodged by Esquivel,annulled her proclamation.
Esquivel was officially installed on Dec. 22 last year on the strength of the court order but the Comelec issued the TRO/SQAO on Jan. 12.
